Mahmoud Khalil Files $20M Claim Against Trump Administration
Who Is Mahmoud Khalil?
Mahmoud Khalil, born in Syria to Palestinian refugee parents, holds legal U.S. permanent residency. A Columbia alumnus of the class of 2024, he emerged as a prominent voice in pro‑Palestinian campus protests during the Israel‑Gaza conflict.
On March 8, 2025, Khalil was arrested without a warrant at his New York apartment by ICE agents, reportedly under State Department orders to revoke his green card due to his activism.
He was transferred over 1,400 miles away to the LaSalle Detention Center in Louisiana, a location kept secret from his family and legal team.
Khalil spent 104 days in custody, enduring harsh conditions, denial of ulcer medication, sleep under harsh lights, and inadequate food, resulting in substantial weight loss and emotional distress.
The filed claim targets the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the State Department, citing:
False arrest and imprisonment
Malicious prosecution and abuse of process
The complaint emphasizes U.S. officials publicly branded him a 'terrorist sympathizer' and antisemite without evidence, aimed at delegitimizing his pro‑Palestinian advocacy.
Khalil stated, 'They are abusing their power because they think they are untouchable…Unless they feel there is some sort of accountability, it will continue to go unchecked."
He plans to use any settlement to support other activists targeted under similar policies. Alternatively, he would accept an official apology and policy changes preventing suppression of pro‑Palestinian speech, rather than monetary compensation.
A spokesperson for DHS dismissed the claim as 'absurd,' accusing him of hateful rhetoric toward Jewish students.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified plans to deport Khalil, invoking a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952.
Khalil's detention was later ruled likely unconstitutional by a federal judge, who ordered his release on June 20, 2025. The deportation proceedings remain ongoing in immigration court.
His case underscores growing scrutiny over the Trump administration's use of rarely invoked immigration provisions—such as Section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the INA—to deport legal residents considered politically dissenting.
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